Oh, this is cool! I remember having the opportunity back in the day to try Amplitube Fender before nearly anyone else had outside of the company. I was blown away at the time – it was a really good product, and in my mind started IKMM down their best avenues in terms of their modeling and how much realism and utility they could achieve in their software.

I let my ears make their own judgments, but I tells ya, my aesthetic preferences are 100% down with this kinda thing. Check out the GUI for the ’53 Bassman model:

Very slick! Twin looking great too:

Of course I’m with yall in being most concerned about the tone – but who doesn’t like something easy on the eyes?

Amplitube Fender began the era of IKMM models reaching that next level. They’ve introduced a new modeling technology called “Dynamic Interaction Modeling,” which seems to be aimed at capturing the interactions between electrical components in the circuit as a whole to replicate genuine behavior as accurately as possible. I have not yet tried it but reading others’ impressions so far this just may be something special.

The full cost for it will be $40 for the hardware, and $20 for the full version of the software. I imagine it could be useful as an Amplitube-powered practice rig on the go. I don’t have an iPhone so it’s not going to be something I pick up, any readers with an iPhone have any thoughts on it? The demo’s sounds are good, I guess the iPhone is powerful enough to run the limited signal chain that it has available. For my portable practice amp needs I use a Vox DA5, and it does the trick, though it costs about three times what the Amplitube software and hardware for the iPhone does. Though to get loud, you’ll need an external powered speaker of some sort, which could get pricey if you’re trying to find something high quality enough to take advantage of the sounds it can put out.

It’s definitely simplified from Amplitube software on a PC (as it would have to be, with the huge difference in processing power). Not sure what to think!

I dunno, this is an interesting development but I am not personally even able to check it out, so I’ll leave it to you guys I guess 😀

There has been some news, though, and I wanted to share it with you guys. This will be a minor post, because soon I intend to do a “state of Freeware” update that includes a more comprehensive look at recent additions to the freeware landscape that would be of interest to guitarists, bassists, and cellists. Well, okay, I don’t know if any cellists are into amp modeling, that part was an exaggeration.

First, Guitar Rig 4 has been OFFICIALLY UPDATED! Fireworks, etc.! Go to your NI User Area to download the official version of an update that has for months been parked in the beta stage, and you can be the proud user of the Cool Plex among other things. I know Amplitube 3 has somewhat overshadowed GR4, given the direction it took and GR4’s comparatively minor additions, but as I will relate in an upcoming review (now that the official version is finally out) Guitar Rig 4 is still a valuable tool to have with features that no other company has matched. Amplitube 3’s amps still sound better, not really debatable! But Guitar Rig 4 brings a lot to the table. And if you’re a user, you probably want that update. You know the drill, go to your Native Instruments user area and there it will be.

Second, wonder of wonders, it appears ReValver Mk3 is actually going to be getting updated. Not to RTAS, I mean bug fixes. There are some pretty nasty ones, as many customers know, so this is a very welcome (very, very welcome) acknowledgment and commitment from the gentleman working on ReValver. How it’s going to be done is kind of interesting; there will be periodic beta updates, good for a month each (why this limitation is in place I don’t know), which will overwrite each other and reset the timer as he releases and you install them. Then finally the full update will be released. This approach allows him the flexibility of the time he needs to squash the (many) bugs in ReValver Mk3, marring an excellent sounding product, but still push fixes to the user base who have been near frothing with rage over said bugs’ lack of official attention since launch. He’s doing it all on the Peavey ReValver forums. More info here. I am not sure yet whether this update will culminate in users of MkIII becoming users of the recently announced Mk3.5 with its new amps and stuff, but if I had to guess I would guess… no. Speculation on my part for now, I’ll update if I get concrete info.

That’s all for now, stay tuned for more and a special post dedicated to exploring the state of the freeware scene.

Amplitube 3 is going to be amazing. Combining Fender-era technology remodeling of all of the gear from Amplitube 2, Amplitube Jimi Hendrix, and Amplitube Metal, plus dozens of new models just for Amplitube 3, this is going to be one of the most comprehensive modeling suites around. Until now Line 6 has ruled the “quantity” market, but with IKMM bringing their extraordinarily realistic Amplitube Fender modeling techniques to the table, quantity just met quality like never before.

I’m excited to try this one out. I use Amplitube 2 family products for my own recordings the majority of the time, so this is one that will definitely be seeing use in my studio if half the buzz around it is true. I should have more updates on this as time goes on, so keep an eye out.

Of course, Skynet won’t have very long to enjoy its sentience on account of the world ending in 2012… Or something, but hey, that’s life for you.

On a serious note, with the holidays over I should be able to get back to updating the blog with some new content as time goes on. I’ve got quite a lot of things going on in the world outside gear and stuff, so I probably won’t be able to have an update every week, but I’ll be doing my best to keep up with the state of things and in turn keep you updated. Thanks to everyone for the holiday well-wishes, sorry that I just got around to approving the comments. I hate having a moderated blog, but some recent postings made it necessary to have some control over what makes it onto my roll – I try to keep this place family-friendly, so to speak, and I’ve got very little interest in hosting flame-wars and other things like that.

I’m currently writing a review of Guitar Rig 4 to go up on Frugal soon, possibly as soon as Monday, and I’ve got some other content in the works as well over there. Here, if I can find the time I’d really like to get around to updating and structuring the Freeware list. If this were a “personal” blog I’d be willing to tell everyone what’s been going on in my life that’s kept me so occupied, but I know my readers don’t come here for a glorified livejournal, they come here to get some info about what I think is the most exciting stuff going on in guitar software and hardware. I’ll try to get more of that coming in a quick way!

Since I missed it, happy holidays and a great new year to all of you. Thanks for being faithful, and may this year be even better for all of us.